Resaca Overlook

Get an up-close look at a resaca from the overlook deck.

NPS photo

Quick Facts

Location:

1024 Paredes Line Road, Brownsville, TX

Amenities

3 listed

Benches/Seating, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

The overlook deck at Resaca de la Palma Battlefield gives visitors an up-close look at a unique feature of the site—a resaca. Resacas are former channels of the Rio Grande. As the Rio Grande has shifted its position over time, it leaves these resaca beds behind. In their natural state, resacas are dry and then fill up during times of heavy rainfall. Some of the larger resacas can hold water for several days or even weeks after a heavy rain. They do not have a natural connection to the Rio Grande. It is through the pumping of water from the Rio Grande that they have any water flow. Resacas, like this one, are filled with a variety of wildlife including Alligator Gar, Texas spiny soft-shell turtles, and egrets.